Lawry's The Prime Rib Restaurant Review

: We love the grand baronial setting, complete with a fireplace right out of an English castle, the clubby dark-wooded bar and the cave-like wine room that's perfect for banquet-style private parties. We also like the huge slabs of savory prime rib that are carved to order on massive stainless steel serving carts that circle the dining rooms, served with golden-brown Yorkshire pudding, whipped-cream horseradish and buttery mashed potatoes. Owner Richard Frank's grandfather started building this small empire in 1938 by sticking with the basics: meat, potatoes and friendly service. Culinary historians will note that Lawry's was where the American trend of presenting salad as a first course (contrary to Continental tradition) began. Waitresses pour the dressing from high above into a spinning salad bowl below. Too bad the dressing isn't very good. It's still a restaurant that's among the busiest in town, patronized equally by native Angelenos and visitors. The prime rib is the signature dish, tender and rich, if fatty. There is fresh fish and lobster tail for those who don't want meat. Sister locations have been spawned in Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas --- even Singapore and Taipei --- but L.A. is where it all began.